I am currently editing a book by the late Venerable Mahāsī Sayādaw on the nature of nibbāna. For the benefit of those who might imagine what it would be like to stay with the Bodhisattas and Buddhas in the Pure Land, I thought I would post this passage:

In nibbāna there are no such things as mind or mental concomitants, which can be met with in the sense-sphere or form-sphere. It naturally follows that mind and matter that belong to the thirty-one planes of existence are totally absent in nibbāna. However, some would like to propose that after the parinibbāna of the Buddha and the Arahants, they acquire a special kind of mind and matter in nibbāna. Such an extraordinary way of thinking may appeal to those who cannot do away with self or ego.

With regard to this proposition a learned Sayādaw reasoned that if there is a special kind of mind and matter in nibbāna, there must also be a special kind of rebirth which gives rise to a special kind of old age, disease, and death, which in turn bring about a special kind of sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair. When the teachings explicitly say cessation, it will be improper to go beyond it and formulate an idea of a special kind of existence. Extinction points to nothing other than Nothingness. Nibbāna, which is not involved in mind and matter, cannot be made to get involved either in this world or in other worlds.

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:Extinction points to nothing other than Nothingness.

I'm surprised that this so often seems to be a point of confusion. At a certain point we have to be really, truly ready to abandon everything, holding onto nothing at all. Some folks think physical death is scary. Well, when that kind of fear is present, death has nothing on nibbāna. Thanks, Bhante, for the beautiful and humorous reminder.

Rain soddens what is kept wrapped up,But never soddens what is open;Uncover, then, what is concealed,Lest it be soddened by the rain.

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:I am currently editing a book by the late Venerable Mahāsī Sayādaw on the nature of nibbāna. For the benefit of those who might imagine what it would be like to stay with the Bodhisattas and Buddhas in the Pure Land, I thought I would post this passage:

In nibbāna there are no such things as mind or mental concomitants, which can be met with in the sense-sphere or form-sphere. It naturally follows that mind and matter that belong to the thirty-one planes of existence are totally absent in nibbāna. However, some would like to propose that after the parinibbāna of the Buddha and the Arahants, they acquire a special kind of mind and matter in nibbāna. Such an extraordinary way of thinking may appeal to those who cannot do away with self or ego.

With regard to this proposition a learned Sayādaw reasoned that if there is a special kind of mind and matter in nibbāna, there must also be a special kind of rebirth which gives rise to a special kind of old age, disease, and death, which in turn bring about a special kind of sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair. When the teachings explicitly say cessation, it will be improper to go beyond it and formulate an idea of a special kind of existence. Extinction points to nothing other than Nothingness. Nibbāna, which is not involved in mind and matter, cannot be made to get involved either in this world or in other worlds.

In nibbāna there are no such things as mind or mental concomitants, which can be met with in the sense-sphere or form-sphere.

Setting aside the "In nibbāna..." which has already been raised as a concern above, how is this quotation reconciled with supramundane mind-states, such as that which are detailed in the Abhidhamma?

Metta,Retro.

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding: Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! -- Udana IV, 7

The web page for On the Nature of Nibbāna is uploaded now, and the PDF. There are still probably plenty of typos. You may need the Gentium font installed to read the Pali text on the web page, but the PDF should have the Pali font embedded.

The web page is rather long — I could split it into six pages, but I don't think that helps much. I prefer to read from the PDF anyway.

We talk about a meditator being in jhāna or about a person as being in error, so I think you all know what is meant when we say "In nibbāna." Elsewhere in the book, the Sayādaw talks about Nibbāna being "In this fathom long body", but it is clearly meant to be taken figuratively. If not "In nibbāna" how else would one express it?

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:If not "In nibbāna" how else would one express it?

Perhaps it's not that big of a deal, semantics and all...'in' infers (to me) 'being' somewhere...which (to my understanding) is not the case concerning the nature of nibbana...it's a tough nut to crack, as the topic (so we're told) is 'beyond' everything (as we know it)...using the analogy of the extinguished flame on a candle, where does it go? (what's it 'in'?)...

It's much easier to speak of "in" when speaking about conventional reality, rather than ultimate reality... but there's nothing much conventional about nibbana.

Metta,Retro.

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding: Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! -- Udana IV, 7